The most remarkable thing about Marian McPartland isn't her age, but the fact that her piano playing continues to sound so young. This double CD was recorded at her 85th birthday bash, and some of the best things on it feature her playing with musicians and singers a quarter of her age, including Norah Jones, Nnenna Freelon, Roy Hargrove and Regina Carter. On the other hand, there's also her contemporary, Clark Terry, and dozens of in-betweens, such as Phil Woods and Jim Hall. The standard of some of the individual performances is phenomenally high.

Curious ParadiseEnglish Elements Live (33 Records 33JAZZ 123)

This live concert recording reveals composer, guitarist and leader Pete Oxley as a figure of growing stature in contemporary jazz. His own playing is quite masterly and he writes the kind of themes that invite and inspire improvisation. Most impressive of all is the range of moods and textures this five-piece band manages to create.